On Sat, 26 Mar 2005 05:47:41 GMT, Raymond Marshall
wrote:

Hi all,

I had a great opportunity yesterday. I'm a hornet driver by
trade, and got a chance to fly the F-4 on a qual/eval as part of
the test pilot school course. After trying to flare on my first
several landings like the Air Force IP in the back seat wanted, I
planted my last landing pretty firm within the first 100 feet of
the runway (no ball to fly though).

I have to say I have a lot more respect for anyone who landed
that aircraft on a boat.

Ray

You don't say which model of the F-4 you were flying. Big differences
in handling between slatted and hard-wing aircraft. Ditto for
long-nose gun-bearers compared to pug-nose varieties.

But, having landed C, D and E models on runways for many years without
the benefit of a ball, I'll contribute that the Phantom was a pretty
easy airplane to land. AOA lights/tone were pretty close to all you
need. Set AOA to on-speed, then use the throttle to move your impact
point up or down the runway. The nose really doesn't demo a lot of
pitch change, but simply rides down the glide path--push some power
and you slow your descent and extend the point of touch-down. Hold
what you've got until ground effect when the nose will want to drop a
bit, but you wind up really holding the pitch attitude rather than
flaring.

Now, get in the back seat and try the no-flap straight-in. You'll love
the part from two miles out until just over the overrun where you
can't see the runway at all.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com